Radio container and fastener for the same



June 21, 1938. A. w. KIMBELL 2,121,524

RADIO CONTAINER AND FASTENER FOR THE SAME Y Filed May 8, 1935 I 2722621/5/ 2 u FikurWmm2?eZZ,

Patented June 21, 1938 RADIO CONTAINER. AND FASTENER FOR THE SAME ArthurW. Kimbell, Newton Center, Mass assignor to United-Carr FastenerCorporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts ApplicationMay 8, 1935, Serial No. 20,351

4' Claims.

My invention aims to provide improvements in fastener means particularlyadapted for securing covers to radio containers and like structures.

In the drawing which illustrates a preferred form of. my invention:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a radio set container with covers attached; 7r

Fig. 2 is a sectiontaken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the snap fastener stud used in myinvention; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the snap fastener stud.

My invention relates especially to a metal box and cover installationfor housing an automobile radio set and the like, although it may haveother similar uses.

It is well known that an automobile radio set, in order to obtain clearradio performance, must be completely shielded from all outsideinterferences. The most common method is to install the set in a metalbox which completely surrounds the set and .is thoroughly grounded tothe automobile body. At the same time, His necessary that some means ofaccess to the interior of the box be provided in order that repairs maybe made to the inclosed set or parts substituted; For that reason, Ihave provided top and bottom detachable cover parts to the box portionof the complete container, although a container with but one cover maybe used. The cover portions together with the box portion must be ofgood conductive metal material, and, in order that the grounding meanswhich surrounds the set be complete and unbroken at all times while thecovers are on the box, it is necessary that the covers be attached tothe box in a manner which will allow no possibility of dislodgment orloose electrical contact between the covers and the box.

The main object of my invention is to provide an improvement in themethod of attachment of the cover portions to the box. Heretofore, theusual method has involved the use of screws or bolts, and while a secureattachment of the cover portions has been provided, it has resulted thatan appreciable amount of time is lost in assembling the respective partsby these means. The attaching method referred to is especiallyinconvenient to a radio repairman who finds it necessary to unloose andreturn a plurality of screws or bolts in order to take off andafterwards replace the cover portions.

It is among the special purposes of my invention to avoid the objectionnoted, by applying aplurality of snap fastener studs for securing thecovers to the box. The fastener studs are more quickly and easilyapplied than the screws or bolts and can be easily removed to permitentrance to the radio set.

Referring now to the drawing, .1 have shown in Fig. 1 a metal box orcabinet having the box portion 3 and the cover portions 2 and 3. Thecover portions have the flanges 4 extending at substantially rightanglesfrom the cover base. As a means for securing the cover portions 2and 3 to the box portion l, I prefer to use a plurality of snap fastenerstuds 5.

The studs for use in connection with the installation, as illustrated inFigs. 3 and 4, are preferably made of high carbon tempered steel andcomprise, in my preferred form, a head portion 6, a relatively longshank portion 1, a stud base 8 and a plurality of slots '9 which extendthrough the head and shank portions and far enough into the base portion8 to permit a proper contraction and expansion of the head portion 6.The stud base 8 is, in my preferred form, inclosed within a cap memberID. The caps ID are secured to the stud bases 8, in my preferred form,by bending a portion of the cap side walls I l inward and over the bases8, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and in final assembly of the studs with thecontainer, as shown in Fig. 2, the caps Ill are adjacent to the outsidesurface of the cover flange 4. An angle is thereby formed by the coverflange 4 and the inwardly bent portion of the cap side walls ll (Fig. 2)which will permit a suitable tool (such as a screw driver) to beinserted between the cover flange and the overhanging portion of thestud cap for the purpose of prying or otherwise unloosing the fastenerstuds from their seats.

I do not wish to limit myself to having the cap member Ill, because Irealize that the stud base 8 could be formed in such a way that it wouldengage the outside surface of the cover flange 4 and, at the same time,have means providing an overhanging portion for the purpose described.

In assembling the snap fastener studs 4 with the box I and the coverportions 2 and 3, I have preferably first formed two rows ofstud-receiving apertures around the side walls of the box portion. Therows are spaced from the free edges of the side walls, and the aperturesI2 of each individual row are located at a spaced distance apart.Apertures iii are formed in the cover flanges 4 and spaced to correspondwith the apertures of the side walls. I have preferred that theapertures of the flanges be of slightly larger diameter than those ofthe side walls to permit engagement of the studs with the apertureswithout the necessity of absolute alignment of the respective apertures.

When the studs 5 are inserted through the apertures l3 of the coverflanges the head portion 6 will contract upon entering the studreceivingapertures l2 of the side walls until sufficient pressure has beenapplied to the cap members IE to force the heads through the aperturesl2 whereupon the shanks! will be engaged with the walls surrounding theapertures of the side walls. r

The caps ill will engage the outside surface of the cover flange 4, andbecause of the portion overhanging the cover flange, a tool may be usedfor quick disengagement of the fastener studs as has been described.

I do not wish to limit myself to any particular form or shape of my capmember, because I realize the cap could be made in various forms andstill retain the essential features of my invention.

Although I have illustratedand described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, because the scope of. myinvention is best defined by the following claims.

' I claim:

1. A radio container and the like comprising, in combination, a boxportion having side walls, said side walls having a stud-receivingaperture therein, a cover for said box portion having flangesoverlapping said side walls of said box, said flanges having an aperturein substantial alignment with the aperture of said side walls, and asnap fastener having a shank portion and means providing an overhangingportion in spaced relation to the outside surface of said cover flangesfor the purpose described, said shank portion extending through theapertures of said side walls and said cover whereby said cover is firmlyattached to said box.

2. A radio container and the like comprising, in combination, a boxportion having side walls, said side walls having a plurality ofstud-receiving apertures therein, a cover for said box portion havingflanges adapted to fit said side walls, said flanges having a pluralityof apertures in substantial alignment with the apertures of said sideWalls, and a plurality of snap fastener studs supported in saidapertures, each of said snap fastener studs comprising a stud portionand a cap portion, said cap portions lying outside said cover flangesand each having means providing an overhanging portion in spacedrelation to the cover flanges for the purpose described, said shankportions having a base located within said cap and a relatively longtapering shank adjacent said base and extending through the alignedapertures of said side walls and said flanges whereby said cover isattached to said box portion.

3. A radio container and the like comprising, in combination, a boxportion having relatively thin side walls, said side walls havingstud-receiving apertures therein at a spaced distance apart and at aspaced distance from the top of said side walls, a cover portion forsaid box having flanges overlapping said side walls, said flanges havinga plurality of apertures larger than and in substantial alignment withthe apertures of said side walls, and a plurality of snap fastener studsprojecting through said apertures, said fastener studs having a capportion and a stud portion, said cap portion located outside said coverflanges, a part of said cap portion engaging said cover flanges and apart overhanging said cover flanges in spaced relation thereto for thepurpose described, said stud portion having a base located within saidcap and a relatively long contractible shank extending from said baseand projecting through the aligned apertures of said side walls and saidcover flanges thereby securing said cover to said box.

4. A radio container of the class described comprising, in combination,a metal box portion, a metal cover for said box and there beingoverlapping portions of said box and said cover with aligned aperturesthrough said overlapping portions and snap fastener stud members eachhaving means engaging the cover, a yieldable shank passing throughaligned apertures in the overlapping portions and having divergingportions providing an enlarged end on the inner end of said shankengaging the box adjacent its aperture and cooperating with saidcover-engaging means to'draw the cover firmly in place against said boxportion for the purposes described.

ARTHUR W. KIMBELL.

